LiverKick - LiverKick

Fight #5 in our fight of the year series is the first of two Final 16 fights, and a bit of an overlooked fight from the year...

Ewerton Teixeira v. Peter Aerts (K-1 Grand Prix Final 16, October 2)

Heading into this fight, both men were in serious need of a win. Teixeira had ended 2009 on a bad note: a notoriously boring fight with Singh Jaideep, followed by an all time highlight reel KO loss to Alistair Overeem. He had rebounded with a win at K-1 Oceania, but no one saw that show, so the lasting image most fans had was Ewerton face down, his hair pooled around him. Aerts too was a recent KO victim, his coming at the hands of Kyotaro. After missing his first ever GP in 2009, a 2nd missed GP could mean the end of an era for Aerts. Both men needed the win, and both men came in fighting that way.

This fight may not have the fireworks of the last few we've looked at, but it really is a fabulous technical display between two experts at their craft. This fight shows a bit of everything - clinch fighting, kicks, punches, defense, aggression... it's all here, and it's all executed flawlessly. For Aerts, this would be the beginning of what will go down as a legendary Grand Prix run, while Teixeira gained momentum even in his loss and has since defeated Errol Zimmerman.

There will be 10 fights total posted. Fights 5 & 6 on Monday, 7 & 8 on Tuesday, and 9 & 10 conclude on Wednesday. Fights are featured in chronological order moving through the year. Voting will be open Wednesday night to determine the winner.

Under a week until FEG presents Dynamite!! 2010 - the year end super show of the Japanese fight scene. To get ready, check out the VIDEO OF THE DAY all week as we feature highlights from years past.

Dynamite!! has always, for me, been a show all about the spectacle and joy of Japanese fighting. It's a chance to kick back, relax, and enjoy some fun fights. So while a fight like 2008's Kyshenko v. Sato may have been technically great, it doesn't really capture that same crazy Dynamite!! spirit the same way Bob Sapp fighting a comic book character does.

Today's feature: We end with a personal favorite of mine - KID YAMAMOTO v. GENKI SUDO

The next entry in our 2010 Fight of the Year series takes us back to K-1, as they crown a new king...

Tetsuya Yamato v. Yuta Kubo (K-1 63kg Grand Prix Finals, July 5)

For the first half of 2010, K-1 was all about their new 63kg division, and boy did that division deliver. Their inaugural 63kg Grand Prix was an all around superb tournament, capped off by the best GP final K-1 has seen in recent years as Tetsuya Yamato (in blue) faced Yuta Kubo (red). Both men had a tough path to the finals, as Yamato defeated early tournament favorite Masahiro Yamamoto, Yuki, and Kizaemon Saiga, while Kubo took out DJ.taiki, Keiji Ozaki, and Yoshimichi Matsumoto (in one of the year's best KOs). Their final battle was a superb contest, combining fast paced skill with drama and excitement.

Sadly, K-1 has yet to follow up on this fight, as the division has been largely dormant, with Krush instead taking the 63kg lead. Yamato will be back in action at Dynamite!!

A note on this series - we'll be posting 1 or 2 of the top fights of the year on a daily basis over the coming week. Fights will be featured in chronological order moving through the year. Voting will be open next week to determine the winner.

Artem's come a long way since 2008, but in this bout in Sweden, he was just starting to break out internationally. He's a tall, craft fighter who uses the advantages of his build well in the ring. He's got a fair bit of athleticism in his frame, too. He wears the blue gloves in this bout.

Yodsaenklai Fairtex at the time already was one of the most famous Thai nak muays on the planet. Before fighting internationally, he'd had a distinguished career in Thailand, winning a Lumpini title at 115 lb flyweight. He steadily moved up in weight in Thailand, fighting other highly ranked fighters like Sam-A Thor Ratanakiat, Orono Wor Petchpun, and Ponsaneh Sitmonchai, before moving from Petchyindee to Fairtex and fighting internationally at 70 kg, 154 lb.

Before this first match with Artem -- they would rematch at 75 kg, 165 lb, in the 2010 Sport Accord games in Beijing -- Yodsaenklai had met Farid Villaume and John Wayne Parr twice in the ring. The Contender Asia broadcast was drawing to a close and he was close to the height of his international regard, so a win over him would have definitely propelled Artem into the top ranks.